


A Place to Call Home

by Windsofwinter



Series: Eden Lives AU [2]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Eden Lives AU, F/M, Fluff, because its the 100, it is mostly fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 19:28:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18372578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windsofwinter/pseuds/Windsofwinter
Summary: Eden survives and Bellamy and Echo grow together.





	A Place to Call Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! 
> 
> So I started writing this shortly after my Octavia "The Valley survives AU.", it developed from a tiny fic idea of Echo in the snow to...this. 
> 
> It can be read with the Octavia version or without! 
> 
> If you are a reader of my Echo on the ring character study fic, I will be updating that soon i promise, I just got a lot of soft Becho inspo. 
> 
> As usual this is unbeta-d but i hope you enjoy!

 

The building is slow going, but Echo isn’t sure any of them remember the last time they felt so light. She sees Monty sit some nights, staring out at the Valley for hours, sometimes she joins him. Shaw awkwardly hovers around them, his eyes dart to her often, clearly worried she may change her mind and slit his throat. He’s grown closer to Bellamy, so it can make things a little awkward, she has no idea how to tell him she has no desire to kill him, that she’s grateful he helped them. She’s tried a few times, but the words die in her throat. Echo knows his intentions towards Raven are good, she sees it in the way he lights up around her, but it’s hard not to worry when its Raven. She knows Murphy and Emori sometimes feel the same unease, they glance at him with calculating looks. Emori is much better than Murphy and Echo at being polite and warm to the man, however.

 

They’ve only built one house so far, when it rains, they all rush inside of it and huddle together for warmth, Echo isn’t sure she’s ever smiled this much in her life. They’ve given the house officially to Monty and Harper, but they are all constantly in and out of it while they build the next one.

 

Madi visits and talks to them about allocating resources, sometimes Clarke is behind her, her eyes fixated on the back of the child’s head, as if she’s afraid she’ll disappear, other times she isn’t and Echo wonders what she is doing. She knows the others worry about her, Raven asks, whenever she isn’t with Madi, she tries to school her expression, but Echo can see how badly she needs an answer. She doesn’t quite understand Raven’s obsession with Clarke’s wellbeing, especially after everything, but she knows she doesn’t need to understand. She knows Bellamy worries about her too, he doesn’t ask about her when she doesn’t show up, but whenever she does visit, he’ll try and engage, Clarke never replies though. Her eyes just stare emptily at Madi’s head. Echo wonders more than once if she should see a doctor…or someone to help. Those thoughts are often derailed when she realizes the doctor, she could see is her own mother. Despite everything, the thought of Clarke being alone makes her uncomfortable, it’s not entirely unfamiliar after her time on the ring, but it still takes her by surprise.

 

Raven and Emori manage to rig up radio towers so they can talk between small settlements, Echo as always is in awe at her friends’ abilities, sometimes she hears Clarke call Raven, she doesn’t stay long to listen, but she knows more than once Raven has left the small radio hut they built very angry and muttering under her breath about “stupid stubborn blondes.”. She doesn’t want to ask.

 

Octavia doesn’t visit, and sometimes Bellamy seems okay with that. Sometimes, Echo thinks it’s for the best. Other times she’ll wake up to Bellamy pacing around their sleeping space, seemingly arguing with himself about something. She doesn’t need to ask, she gets up and grabs his hand, steadying him, and pulls him close to her, their foreheads pressing together until his breathing is more even. Other times, when he’s very panicked, she makes him sits under the stars with her and count them, when he’s calmed down, she makes a joke about how stars are far better for counting than fingers or lightbulbs like they had on the ring when one of them lost control. He always laughs, despite Echo knowing it isn’t funny. Then he’ll ask her about the different stars and the legends behind them, she tells the same stories night after night, but neither of them tires of it.

 

* * *

 

She and Bellamy get their house next, they both protest, insisting Raven should be next, but Raven scowls, most likely thinking they’re coddling her.

 

“No way, your sex noises are starting to attract wildlife, you’re definitely next.” She says laughing when Bellamy chokes on his drink.

 

Echo doesn’t want to admit it but when she first sees the little house tears fill her eyes, she’s never had a home that’s hers before, a place where she would always be safe, but the small, wonky house feels like that, and a part of her feels complete just by looking at it. She looks at Bellamy and knows he understands. Shaw shuffles forward, looking at Echo a little awkwardly, before handing Bellamy a little piece of carved wood.

 

“It’s for the door, I got that guy who lives near the medical centre to make it for you.” He swallows after speaking like he’s worried they’ll throw it in his face.

 

“Miller?” Bellamy asks while handing the small piece of wood for Echo to look at.

 

“Yeah, Raven pointed him out.” Shaw replies as Raven smiles behind him.

 

Echo’s fingers gently run over the carved wood, the small square has what looks like a tiny snowscape carved and painted onto it, with a sky full of stars above it, and in the corner, the ring. Echo feels a tear stray down her cheek as she overwhelmed with the warmth settling in her chest. It could have easily just been for Bellamy, but the snow is her, the carving is them. Its perhaps one of the most thoughtful gifts she’s ever seen, and it came from the man only a month ago she wanted dead. Guilt coils in her stomach for a moment, until she realizes she can fix it. She turns quickly facing Shaw.

 

“It’s wonderful, thank you Miles.” She tries to give him a small smile as she says it.

 

Shaw looks at her like she’s grown a second head, Bellamy laughs softly from beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist, squeezing her hip before going inside. Echo grabs Shaw’s arm before he can follow Bellamy in, she rolls her eyes when Raven mutters “Play nice” when passing them.

 

“I’m glad I didn’t kill you.” She says, it’s not really a sorry, but she isn’t sure Shaw would appreciate one if he knew she didn’t mean it, she knows if it had come down to Shaw or her family, Shaw wouldn’t be standing in front of her. She knows he knows that too.

 

“Same.” Shaw laughs dryly before the two of them head inside.

 

* * *

 

 

Bellamy breaks eventually, three months in, when all their houses are just about done Echo wakes up and fear flashes through her as she realizes Bellamy isn’t in bed.  She dresses quickly and darts out of the room, past Murphy, who had moved in only two weeks ago. Her eyes scan the clearing in utter panic before she spots him, pacing near where their clearing meets the forest, she knows that it leads to the centre of Eden, where Octavia is.

 

He has a small bag on his shoulder and a canteen in his hand, he looks small against the vast tree line and Echo’s heart aches for him. She walks towards him slowly, purposefully making her footfalls loud as not to startle him. The sun is only just peeking over the tops of the trees, it’s still early, but she knows Monty and Harper will be waking soon.

 

“You weren’t in bed.” She whispers when she reaches him.

 

“I didn’t want to wake you.” He pauses, his eyes never leaving the trees. “My pacing echoes in the house, Murphy told me.”

 

It did, in fact, it always wakes Echo, who is a very light sleeper, but she’s never minded.

 

“Needed the bag to pace?” She asks gently, her hand slipping into his free one. “We can go if you want.”

 

He looks at her then, raw grief on his face, it knocks the air out of her chest.

 

“Just to see that she’s okay.” He says, Echo knows more to himself than her.

 

“You don’t have to talk to her.” She asserts, and he nods.

 

They trek slowly through the woods, mostly in silence, Echo would occasionally start telling Bellamy one of the legends she was told as a child, about warriors in the woods and mountains. He seemed glad for the distraction. They slowly begin to hear the sounds of life, distant chatter as the sleepy colony wakes for the day. Bellamy pauses at the tree break, surveying the buildings and people, Echo isn’t sure if he’s searching for Octavia.

 

Echo cannot see the girl, but she does spot Gaia, leaning heavily on a wooden walking stick making her way across to the Eligius ship.

 

“Do you want to ask Gaia?” Echo says, gesturing in the woman’s direction.

 

Bellamy seems to consider his options and then nods; the pair makes their way over to the woman.

 

“Gaia!” Bellamy calls out before they reach her, most likely a curtesy so they don’t startle her.

 

She stops, and an odd look passes over her face when she locks eyes with them, Echo isn’t sure what it is, there is an element of warmth to it, but overwhelmingly she looks worried.

 

“Bellamy, Echo, you both look well.” Her tone is not unfriendly, but Echo can tell its forced.

 

“You do too, how’s your leg?” Bellamy asks.

 

He’d always been much better at small talk than her.

 

“Healing.” Gaia replies shortly, her gaze moving past Bellamy’s shoulder. She was anxious to go somewhere, Echo concludes.

 

Echo waits for Bellamy to ask, but when she looks at him there is fear on his face, and it looks as though the words were trapped in his throat, he squeezes her hand softly, most likely trying to ground himself as he often does.

 

“We were just wondering if Octavia is here?” Echo asks softly, realizing Bellamy can’t.

 

An even stranger look crosses Gaia’s face and dread coils in Echo’s gut, fear bubbling in her throat as she feels Bellamy tense next to her. She feels his grip on her hand tighten slightly as they wait for an answer.

 

“She left…” The woman’s voice is laced with sympathy.

 

Echo can practically feel Bellamy begin to spiral next to her, she strokes his arm gently.

 

“Do you know where she went?” Echo says, trying to keep her voice steady.

 

She silently curses Octavia for not saying anything, though she supposes she’d be just as angry if she had come to say goodbye.

 

“I’m sorry she didn’t say.” Gaia replies. “I have to go.”

 

The woman looks genuinely regretful as she walks away slowly, Echo sees Clarke emerge out of the Eligius ship and help Gaia into it.

 

“Do you want me to ask anyone else?” She asks as she continues to caress his arm gently.

 

Bellamy simply shakes his head and they walk away from the clearing in silence. They make it half way home and Bellamy still hasn’t said anything.

 

“I’m sure she’s okay Bellamy.” Echo says eventually.

 

Bellamy stops and whirls round to look at her, pain written all over his face.

 

“You don’t know that!” he shouts, his voice cracking horribly, before he slumps down against a tree. “I should’ve gone before, I should’ve checked.”

 

Echo kneels in front of him and cradles his face in her hands, stroking his cheeks softly with her thumb.

 

“This is not your fault Bellamy.”  Her voice is steady and clear because he needs to understand this. “Octavia will be fine, she handled leading those people for six years, she can handle the woods. She needed space and made a choice, there is no fault here.”

 

“She could be dead.” He’s sobbing now, but Echo can make out the words.

 

“She isn’t.” Her voice starts to shake as his tears soak through her fingers, she can’t stand to see him like this.

 

“How do you know?” Bellamy says, his voice barely a whisper as he looks at her desperately, like he needs her to tell him she knows she’s safe. She shakily brushes some hair from his face.

 

“Madi has people all over this valley, even in the hills, if something had happened to her we’d know, okay?” She hopes she’s right, realistically; she could be dead, Echo tries to push that thought away.

 

Bellamy buries his head into Echo’s shoulder as she snakes her hand up to stroke the hairs at the base of his neck, holding him tightly.

 

“I told her I wanted her dead.” He sobs into Echo’s shoulder; the woman feels tears prick her eyes as she rocks Bellamy softly in her arms.

 

“I know Niron, it’s okay.” She says. Bellamy shakes his head against her chest but squeezes her tighter, like she’s his only anchor to earth. “You’ll be okay.” She whispers softly.

 

They stay there for what feels like hours, wrapped up in each other. When they do eventually return Bellamy goes straight to bed, the events of the day exhausting him, and Echo’s glare silences any jokes from Murphy or Raven.

 

* * *

 

 

They visit the centre again, this time with Monty and Harper, it had been four months, now all the houses were built, and the farm was set up they were thinking about the future.

 

“A baby!” Harper had whispered with excitement when Echo had asked.

 

Apparently Skaikru had implants in their arms to prevent pregnancy, so they were making the journey today to the medical centre, with some items to trade and a plan for Harper to ask about getting her implant removed. Echo didn’t miss how Bellamy’s eyes scanned the clearing again, just in case. Octavia still wasn’t there; Raven had already radioed to ask.

 

Bellamy kissed her cheek before wandering over to see Miller, the two men awkwardly embraced before entering the newly built house. Echo hopes they can rebuild their friendship.

 

Having already dropped off the few pieces of vegetables they were willing to trade, mostly for clothes or material, Echo follows Harper and Monty into the ship and waits outside during their appointment. In truth she almost hadn’t come, but Bellamy had asked her last night as they lay in bed, and she couldn’t let him down.

 

When Harper and Monty are leaving the room, Echo listens intently to the small pieces of information she hears about what will happen when Harper does fall pregnant, she knows they may be too far for Harper to travel if she goes into labour, and that thought alone terrifies Echo. They barely coped on the ring when someone got a cold. Harper and Monty don’t seem put off however, in fact they’re both glowing, and chatting animatedly about their next appointment when the implant will be removed. When they meet back up with Bellamy, he has an odd look on his face, it’s not anxious, more disturbed and perhaps a little regretful. They ask him what’s wrong, but he insists he should tell them at home.

 

The glow of the day doesn’t last long when Bellamy explains what he had found out about the bunker.

 

“I didn’t even ask.” Bellamy finishes.

 

“None of us did.” Harper whispers.

 

Echo hopes Octavia finds peace, wherever she is.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke comes to visit a few months later, when they've settled even more with a routine, she brings a basic medical kit to check whether Harper is pregnant. Echo is surprised to see Gaia with her, she doesn’t think she's ever seen Clarke without Madi, save for the one time she helped Gaia into the ship. She has no idea what friendship the two women share, she can't imagine Clarke wanting to spend a lot of time with a flamekeeper with her history. Yet the two women do appear to be friends. Loneliness does odd things to people, Echo reasons.

 

Clarke is even smiling slightly as she bounds into their housing area, Gaia slightly trialing behind her. Echo stays back with Emori as Clarke greets everyone, she says something and Bellamy whole body seems to tense, and then relax, she can just make out Murphy's snarky tone and Clarke laughs at whatever he says. Bellamy almost runs over to them, grinning.

 

“Clarke saw Octavia, she’s fine.” Bellamy says, relief all over his face. He may not want to see her, or live with her anymore, but Echo knows he doesn't want her to die.

 

“I told you so.” Echo teases and Bellamy rolls his eyes.

 

“I will never doubt you again.” Bellamy says jokingly.

 

Emori snorts next to them and Echo shoves her gently. Bellamy wraps his arms around Echo's waist and hugs her tightly, as she presses a kiss under his ear. Over his shoulder she sees Raven and Murphy giving Clarke and Gaia the tour of the farm. Monty keeps glancing at them anxiously, Echo wonders whether it’s a want for Clarke's approval that seems to ripple through them or a fear she may ruin what he's built, Echo isn't sure of the state of their relationship.

 

Both women seem slightly in awe and Echo feels proud she's helped build something; it makes all the early mornings worth it. Clarke goes into Monty and Harper's house and it feels as though all of them are holding their breath. Echo wants this for them, as much as babies terrify her, she knows they'll be good parents. A few minutes later Harper seems to scream with joy and her and Monty practically run out of their house and fling themselves into a hug with Raven and Bellamy, before pulling the rest of them in, Echo can see Bellamy is crying and she knows she is. She's sure while Murphy would never admit it, even he has tears in his eyes. Harper and Monty remain squished between them.

 

“Okay but I don’t think this is good for the baby.” Raven laughs out between her tears.

 

They all loosen their grip slightly, so Harper can breathe freely but they all still refuse to separate, and Echo can't remember a time she's ever been so happy. While Shaw remains on the outside of the embrace even, he is grinning at the couple. Echo sees Clarke and Gaia watching them with interest, Gaia is smiling softly but Clarke looks almost longingly at them all.

 

They are about to leave when Bellamy asks them to stay for dinner, they both look unsure.

 

“Come on, Murphy's been practicing his cooking.” Raven smirks. “and we're celebrating!”

 

Clarke seems to look to Gaia for confirmation.

 

“I can help you home if you want?” Clarke asks, though her preference to stay here is clear.

 

Echo looks down at Gaia's leg and sees that the woman is still heavily relying on the walking stick and Clarke's worry and loyalty makes a little more sense. She supposes some of it might be guilt, or simply Clarke's caring nature.

 

Gaia laughs a little.

 

“They have far better vegetables than we do, we're staying.” She says, sending Clarke a reassuring look.

 

Monty and Harper grin and Emori insists that Harper sits down while they prepare the food. Harper laughs and says she was farming moments before Clarke arrived, but Echo and Bellamy sided with Emori and Monty simply couldn't take his eyes off Harper enough to comment.

 

Gaia helps Murphy cook the food, Echo thinks it may be, so she can avoid getting meat in whatever they end up eating, if the panicked look that crossed her face when Murphy mention rabbit is anything to go by. Clarke sits with Monty and Harper, explaining some basic medical information, Echo tries to listen until Bellamy sits next to her and wraps his arm around her shoulders.

 

“Harper will be fine.” Bellamy says, sensing her worries. “We can radio Clarke or Jackson or Abby whenever, and Niylah trained in the bunker too.” His tone is reassuring, and Echo nods and intertwines her fingers with Bellamy’s. “No need to try and become a doctor.” He grins at her as he speaks

 

“I wasn't.” she replies pouting. “There is nothing wrong with being prepared.”

 

Bellamy's eyes soften as he looks at her, it’s the kind of look that makes her feel as if everyone else has disappeared, it makes her feel safe and loved like nothing else can.

 

“No there's not.” He replies softly. It makes her melt; she leans her head on his shoulder.

 

* * *

 

They get the call a few weeks after, Harper is barely showing, despite his gratitude that Octavia wasn't dead, being invited to see her isn't something Bellamy was ready for. Murphy tells him he'd regret not going, and this seems to push Bellamy to come with them all to central Eden, Monty carries some of their food, and Raven keeps up the conversation the whole way, they stop twice to give her leg a rest, the uneven ground of the woods making walking difficult.

 

When they get there they stand around, rather awkwardly, Jackson and Miller soon come out to meet them and conversation flows a little easier. People cast them odd glances, they’re easily recognizable. Harper and Monty start talking to Echo about baby names, they still haven’t lost their excited glow.

 

 Echo feels Bellamy stiffen beside her; she casts her eyes across the clearing until she sees her. Octavia stands next to Niylah, looking like a fish out of water. Echo reaches out for Bellamy’s arm instinctively to comfort him. There’s an awkward pause where none of them know what to do, until Raven snaps into action.

 

Only Monty, Harper and Raven move to talk to her, Shaw follows Raven but makes sure to stand back slightly. Echo cannot hear what they’re saying but it seems friendly. She’s grateful, she supposes everyone is tired of fighting. A part of Echo wants to go over, she knows that Bellamy will one day want to rebuild their relationship, and she knows that would be a lot easier if her and Octavia got along.

 

Eventually they all congregate around the communal fire pit, Octavia having accepted their invitation to stay for dinner. Bellamy still hasn’t gone over to his sister; Echo doesn’t want to push him. They sit and listen to another one of Shaw’s stories about his old life, about his old motorcycle.

 

Bellamy had found the idea of Raven trying to build one very stressful, he had ranted to Echo for a whole evening about how “Yes they sound cool but what if you fall off?!”. She’s sure despite his protests he’d also love one.

 

“It won’t be as bad as you think.” Echo whispers to Bellamy as he continues to stare at Octavia across the fire.

 

He looks at her then and squeezes her hand.

 

 

“I guess things can’t get any worse, right?” Bellamy replies, laughing darkly.

 

“I’ll be right here when you’re done.”

 

Bellamy nods and gets up, Echo watches as the siblings disappear to somewhere less public.

 

“You think he’ll be okay?” Murphy says, sitting in Bellamy’s previously vacated seat.

 

“I hope so.” Echo replies, fiddling with the front of her shirt.

 

“Well, no matter what happens we’re here to catch him right?” Murphy says, taking a sip from his canteen.

 

Echo laughs.

 

“Careful Murphy, saying things like that might make people think you have real human feelings.” Echo teases.

 

Murphy scoffs.

 

“Oh, I’m getting a feeling lecture from our resident ice queen? Okay Elsa.”

 

Echo groans at the mention of the movie character.

 

“God, I thought we were finally over calling me that! And it doesn’t make sense Murphy, Elsa has a lot of feelings, that was the point.” Echo argues.

 

“Okay, I didn’t realised you loved that movie so much.” Murphy snarks.

 

“I don’t! You guys were the ones that made me watch it so many times, even though there were so many other stupid movies on the ring.” Echo says, groaning again.

 

“Whatever you say Echo.” Murphy replies, smirking.

 

“Thanks Murphy.” Echo says sincerely, he’s better at distracting her than anyone.

 

“Anytime stretch.” Murphy replies getting up.

 

Echo can’t help but laugh.

 

“Go float yourself Murphy!” She calls as the man walks away, presumably towards Emori.  

 

The man turns around and winks before laughing too.

 

She’s so distracted she doesn’t hear the footsteps behind her.

 

“What did I miss?” Bellamy asks as he stands behind Echo, one hand running through her hair.

 

Echo turns around and surveys his body language, he seems fairly relaxed, it’s a relief.

 

“Murphy was just being Murphy.” Echo says, smiling up at Bellamy.

 

He laughs softly and sits beside Echo, pulling her into his arms.

 

“So, nothing new there?” He asks, intertwining their fingers.

 

Echo leans against him and simply nods.

 

“How did it go?” she whispers after a moment.

 

“It was okay.” Bellamy replies, resting his chin on Echo’s shoulder. “I invited her to the farm, I hope that’s okay.”

 

Echo turns her head to kiss his cheek.

 

“Of course.”

 

It’s some time later when they see Octavia again, Echo’s eyelids are drooping, and Bellamy is humming softly in her ear. Niylah and Miller are practically carrying Octavia back to Miller and Jackson’s house, Echo doesn’t think she’s ever seen Octavia so upset. Bellamy squeezes Echo softly but makes no attempt to follow his sister.

 

* * *

 

Echo can count on one hand the number of times she’s felt true terror; being taken from her parents, mount weather, being banished and her first few months on the ring. She can now add this moment to the list. She knows that isn’t fair, thinking you’re pregnant is hardly akin to the other things, but nevertheless, she’s terrified. She’s terrified of letting Bellamy down, of letting the child down, she’s terrified she won’t know how to love a child properly. She has a few scattered memories of her parents but nothing solid enough to help her know how to parent, nothing practical.

 

Bellamy is unsurprisingly both ecstatic and irrevocably supportive. He understands every single one of her fears, he explains how they test for pregnancy and the stages of it. She’d heard all this information when Harper had first got pregnant, but he didn’t seem to mind repeating it.

 

Abby comes to test her, unlike with Monty and Harper, they do not have an audience waiting outside, Bellamy had shooed everyone away, sensing Echo’s fears. She tests positive, and she’s terrified, but so happy. Bellamy practically drops to his knees and hugs Echo desperately, his forehead leaning against her stomach. She feels tears sting at her own eyes as she strokes his hair and thanks Abby.

 

She’s practically knocked over by the hugs she receives when they tell everyone, Bellamy’s hand never leaves her back as their family huddle close together and celebrate the news. Echo must admit, in that moment, with her family, she’s not so afraid.

 

Echo always knew Bellamy was patient, she supposes raising a child so young, you have to develop the skill quickly. Patience, another thing Echo worries about. Bellamy remains perfectly put together, no matter how many times Echo shakes him awake, tears streaming down her face, just to ask him a panicked parenting question.

 

“What if the baby doesn’t like me?” She’ll ask.

 

“That baby will think the world of you.” He’ll reply.

 

“What if the baby won’t eat?” She’ll say.

 

“They’ll eat.” He’ll answer, assuredly.

 

She wakes him at least once a night.

 

Harper as it turns out, is also scared, Echo is sure it’s not for the same reason. Harper worries about the world not being stable. Echo worries she can’t love like a mother should. But it’s comforting, to sit with Harper.  Raven frets too, which is also a shock to Echo, she’s sure that’s why Raven constantly goes with Shaw to see Diyoza and Hope, and always returns with lots of medical information and personal stories.

 

Bellamy constantly tries to reason that he delivered a baby when he was a child, that everything will be fine. Monty and Murphy try and back him up, but Echo sees how even Murphy seems to jump whenever she or Harper make any noise of discomfort. It’s a little ridiculous, neither of them is close to giving birth yet, but she understands, their peace is so new, most of them are waiting for something to go wrong.

 

Echo hates how much everyone makes her rest, but she hates the idea of hurting the baby more. One night, after Monty and Harper announce their baby name, Jordan, which led to even more tears and hugging, Bellamy lies by Echo’s stomach and asks her softly:

 

“Do you want a boy or girl?”

 

“I just want them to be healthy.” Echo whispers, her hand running through Bellamy’s hair.

 

He smiles a little at her.

 

“Obviously.”

 

“What about you?”

 

Bellamy seems to consider for a moment.

 

“A girl.” He whispers, like it’s a secret only for the two of them…three of them, Echo corrects and can’t help but smile.

 

They don’t talk about names yet, the weight of Harper and Monty’s choice heavy in the air.

 

Bellamy lets out a soft sigh, a smile resting on his face that never seems to leave lately, it makes Echo smile too.

 

“I can’t believe my kid is going to grow up on the ground.” He says, looking up to Echo.

 

Echo swallows slightly, pushing on the memories of what the ground can do to children away, that won’t be their life, it’s not like that anymore.

 

“When I was younger, Nia sent me to spy on a village, there was a farm near there.” Bellamy shifts, his eyes becoming slightly more focused, as if he thought Echo was about to impart some great knowledge to him.  “They had children; I would see them playing in the fields.” She pauses, taking a breath. “I want our child to have everything I didn’t Bellamy.”

 

Bellamy reaches up and brushes a tear Echo didn’t know had escaped away from her cheek.

 

“They will.” He asserts, Echo can’t help but believe him.

 

* * *

 

 

Echo had been around pregnant people before, it was rare, in her line of work in Azgeda, but it happened. However, nothing could have prepared her for how it felt. Morning sickness was dreadful, she hated being sick, it made her feel weak, and this was constant. She loved Bellamy and Monty, but both of them asserting it was a good thing wasn’t helpful. Even Harper had snapped at them.

 

She had no idea how Nia had given birth, or even been pregnant, she couldn’t imagine the woman experiencing any of this. She was temperamental at the best of times. She was glad she’d never had to experience serving the woman at that time.

 

The constant rest suddenly became far less bothersome and more vital, she was exhausted, and still barely pregnant. The last thing she wanted to do was go to a party. She was certainly glad Octavia had stopped aimlessly wandering around the woods and mountains, because that was a recipe for disaster.

 

But simply the idea of having to walk all the way to the river, where, according to Raven, she and Niylah had a house, left Echo exhausted. Bellamy was worried for an entirely different reason, she understands they have a rocky relationship, and Octavia might be a lot of things, but she knows it’s highly unlikely they would have invited them all just to hurt Echo. She tells him as much, Murphy backs her up, well, he claims it would be “the most ridiculous murder plan ever and yes he’s counting the time he had to use rocks to set a trap.”

 

She makes it clear they don’t have to go, but Bellamy’s nerves seem to lessen after a while, the logical side of him clearing giving into their arguments.

 

In a stroke of brilliant haggling by Shaw, they are able to borrow the rover to get them to central Eden, the house not too far away. When they arrive, Bellamy awkwardly greets his sister, she can feel him tense beside her, waiting for Octavia to realise. It only takes a moment, and she pulls them both into a hug, it’s a little uncomfortable, she doesn’t think she’s ever been this close to Octavia before, but Bellamy looks like he may cry from relief.

 

They spend all night huddled together, Bellamy practically pulls Clarke over at one point to talk to her, clearly becoming much more comfortable in their friendship again. They’ve mostly all started to move on, there’s still some awkward moments, where something slips out, and none of them know what to say to each other. Echo has to give Clarke credit, she doesn’t shy away from those situations, she sits with the awkwardness or anger or regret. Sometimes Madi will say something, so clearly older than her years, and Echo can see Clarke’s jaw clench, she can tell Bellamy sees it too. Clarke doesn’t spend too much time with them, she is mostly wherever Madi is, and to Echo’s surprise, spends some time with Octavia, Gaia and Diyoza. Her eyes never stray far from the commander, however.

 

“Have you thought of a name yet?” Kane asks when he’s joined them, later on.

 

“John had a great idea.” Emori pipes up before Echo or Bellamy can answer.

 

She shares a smirk with Murphy and Raven that reminds Echo of their days on the ring, when they would tease her mercilessly.

 

“No way.” Bellamy says, clearly recognizing the look on their faces too.

 

“You didn’t even let him say it!” Raven protests.

 

“I don’t have to; I know what he’s going to say.” Bellamy laughs, kicking some dirt in Murphy’s direction in jest.

 

“You do not!” Emori argues, a warm smile spreading across her face.

 

“You’re going to say if it’s a girl we should name her Elsa, because of family tradition.” Bellamy exclaims, raising his eyebrows in challenge.

 

Murphy laughs.

 

“I was going to say if it’s a boy you should name him John, you know, after the best man you know.” Murphy replies. “But your idea is so much better right Echo?”

 

Echo groans when they all break into laughter.

 

Kane casts them all an odd look, one they’d become accustomed to now, from people who used to know them, that don’t quite understand the closeness or inside jokes.

 

He leaves not long after, leaving their family on their own, on the outskirts of the gathering Octavia and Niylah had organized. The sun had long set and there was a peaceful mood in the air that left Echo feeling light. Bellamy leans down, his forehead pressing against her stomach, grinning.

 

“Don’t worry, we won’t call you John or Elsa, your uncle Murphy was just being silly.” He whispers softly, he’d taken to doing this, he’d done it at first while Echo was asleep, she’d woken up to hear him, he’d blushed wildly when she asked who he was talking to, before explaining he was talking to the baby, in case they could hear. She had started to cry, then laughed at the look of alarm on Bellamy’s face, as if he’d upset her somehow. She hadn’t talked to the bump yet, unsure what to say or how to start, but Bellamy assured her he could tell the baby all about her, no problem.

 

She runs her hand through his hair softly as he speaks, his voice relaxing her in a way nothing else did.

 

“You’re going to have a great name.” he continues.

 

“You mean a nerd name.” Raven says, clearly having heard him, from her seat across from them.

 

Bellamy shoots her a mock glare and flips her off, which sends her and Shaw into hysterics.

 

“Your aunt Raven has no respect for history.” He whispers again, quieter this time. “She’s going to make you do lots of science stuff, aunt Emori and uncle Shaw too, or you can farm, that’s what me and your mom do, with Aunt Harper and Uncle Monty…or you could be a chef with your uncle Murphy.” Bellamy lets out a little laugh. “Don’t tell him I said this but he’s actually pretty good.” Bellamy reaches to hold Echo’s hand. “Or you could be a doctor, we know a lot of those, you can do whatever you want.”

 

“That was nice.” Echo whispers.

 

Bellamy looks up and squeezes her hand before leaning back down.

 

“Just no dating…ever.” He jokes, loud enough for the whole group to hear, causing them all to laugh. 

 

* * *

 

Harper’s birth had apparently been completely average, Echo was sure Clarke was just trying to mess with her when she had said that. Harper had been in labour for hours, it had been awful, she had sat with Raven, Emori, Murphy and Shaw while Bellamy had paced outside the house. She had seen birth before, but back then she had never related it to herself, it wasn’t a possibility under Nia, so she had approached it with the same level of cold detachment she had approached most things. But Harper was her friend, and suddenly so much about how human’s gave birth seemed unnatural and unthinkable. Never mind that she’d have to do it soon.

 

Their baby boy, Jordan, is gorgeous, an almost perfect combination of Monty and Harper. Echo didn’t know she could smile so much. Shaw and Bellamy present the couple with a handmade crib they’d both managed to make with the help of Miller and Octavia.

 

 Murphy practically knocks Monty over by launching himself at him for a bone crushing hug as soon as Jordan had been handed back to Harper. Echo is pretty sure she hears him congratulate him. Monty seems to hug back with just as much force.

 

Life becomes busy after that night, everyone chipping in to make up for the lost labour of Harper and Monty while they settle into being parents, it doesn’t help that Echo is able to do less and less the bigger she grows. She wasn’t avoiding baby Jordan exactly, but she was worried about being alone with him, it was too far along the line to learn she couldn’t take care of a baby.

 

But eventually, when she’s sitting with Monty, staring out across their home, it becomes a necessity. Harper and Murphy call for him, and he carefully places Jordan in Echo’s arms before she can protest, claiming he won’t be long.

 

She takes a deep breath and adjusts Jordan in her arms, looking down at him warily.

 

She’s heard all of them talk to him, even Murphy will make wry comments about other people to him as if he could understand. Emori has taken to explaining different technical things to him while she works if they are looking after him in his crib. Raven seemed skeptical at first but has even joined in too. She’s seen Shaw hold him twice, usually if nobody else can, he’s a much more integrated part of their group now, but Echo thinks he worries about stepping on anyone’s toes. Despite that, the last time he held him Echo heard him mumbling about how different everything looks now to when he was younger.

 

She traces her finger across the baby’s cheek and smiles a little when he yawns.

 

“This is okay.” She whispers after a moment. “We’re okay right?”

 

Echo rolls her eyes at herself slightly for expecting an answer.

 

She suddenly feels a slight kick in her stomach and tries to not jump.

 

“Hey, you feel that?” She asks Jordan gently from his place near her stomach. “Your friend should be ready to meet you soon.”

 

Echo tries to rock baby Jordan gently, her bump making it difficult, he stirs, whimpering a little and panic clogs Echo’s throat. She looks around to see if anyone could come and take over, everyone is busy and Echo’s jaw clenches.

 

She isn’t sure what to do but she starts to hum softly, having seen Harper and Monty do the same. It seems to appease Jordan who settles after a moment and Echo breathe a sigh of relief and continues to hum.

 

A little while later Bellamy wanders over, a grin on his face.

 

“Do you want to take him?” Echo asks as he sits down.

 

He lets out a half laugh and wraps his arm around her.

 

“No, I think you’re doing perfectly okay by yourself.” He’s teasing her, it makes her smile but she’s still a little uneasy.

 

“He’s quiet.” She whispers leaning her head against Bellamy’s shoulder, eyes not leaving Jordan. “What if ours isn’t?”

 

She feels him squeeze her shoulder.

 

“Everything will be okay Echo.” He insists.

 

“Harper and Monty make it look so easy.” She observes. “Like its just natural to them, what if its not to me?” she hates how her voice cracks, but this is Bellamy, he always tries to understand.

 

“When Octavia was born, I was terrified.” Bellamy starts and Echo looks up to see a distant look on his face. “Not just because of the guards or the laws, she terrified me.”

 

“Is this supposed to make me feel better?” Echo interjects, a teasing smile on her face.

 

“Let me finish!” Bellamy chuckles. “She scared me because she was this whole person that needed everything doing for her, and that’s overwhelming.”

 

“Especially for a child.” Echo murmurs.

 

Bellamy nods before continuing.

 

“I thought I did everything wrong, not just on the big things, she had this shirt, I always buttoned it up wrong.” Bellamy smiles sadly. “She never cared, kids just want you to love them and to try for them.”

 

Echo shifts Jordan in her arms as he continues to sleep.

 

“What if I can't love them?” she whispers brokenly.

 

Bellamy looks at her with sympathy in his eyes before kissing her head.

 

“You will, I promise.” He sounds so sure, its almost convincing.

 

“How do you know?”

 

“You didn't think you could love me once, remember?” He replies. “You do a great job at that, at loving all of us.”  

 

Echo feels the familiar warmth spread over her chest at that and she relaxes just a little. Bellamy has faith in her, maybe that’s all she needs.

 

* * *

 

She is born not long after, Charissa Aurora Blake. Bellamy had woken her up to suggest the name, his eyes bright as he explained it was derived from Charis.

 

“it means kindness, grace and life.” He whispered and Echo didn't even want to argue, it was perfect.

 

Birth had been…hell. But Bellamy had been supportive as always, it hadn't helped as much as she'd hoped. Abby had delivered her, which Echo was eternally thankful for, she didn't think she'd cope with it being Clarke. It was mortifying enough already.

 

She had been awestruck when Abby handed her the baby…her daughter. Bellamy had sat on the edge of her bed, cradling both of them softly, looking completely besotted.

 

“She's a blob…” Echo whispered, one finger running along the baby's cheek. She had seen a newborn Jordan of course but there was something about holding her own daughter, realising how small and fragile she is.

 

“Yeah, she is.” Bellamy grins, tears in his eyes.  

 

“She's perfect.”

 

Bellamy squeezes them and presses a kiss to Echo's forehead.

 

“Our perfect baby girl.” Bellamy says and Echo sees tears rolling down his cheeks. She presses the side of her head against Bellamy chest.

 

She couldn't say she wasn't still afraid, but lying there, in Bellamy's arms, as their daughter lay on her chest, she felt like she could do this.

 

* * *

 

Murphy had moved in with Emori not long after the birth, Echo was thankful as Charissa was a much lighter sleeper than Jordan.

 

They were exhausted, but Echo wouldn’t change a single thing about the life they had built together. She was still a little nervous, but Bellamy had been right, as long as she tried Charissa seemed completely content.

 

Winter had drawn in quickly, fresh snowed coated the ground weekly. Echo loved it, the cold had never bothered her, the others were finding less enjoyment. The houses took more effort to warm and their crops struggled, but it wasn’t a bad winter.

 

She wraps Charissa up in several layers, she was still only a few months old and Echo was terrified of her catching anything. But she had so little from her home, this was important. she had debated it for a while, it wasn’t an official ceremony, and it didn’t mean anything, not really. A part of her feels guilty, for not asking Bellamy. But she resolved that she didn’t have to do the ritual, showing her daughter the snow, and talking about her home could be enough.

 

She walks out across the fields, not having to worry about someone spotting her, all of them hated the cold. She hadn’t seen Bellamy since breakfast, he had placed a kiss on both of their heads and said he had to make a trip to central Eden to meet Madi about trading. Echo hadn’t questioned it.

 

She walks up the hill not far from their clearing, her daughter securely against her chest, before stopping to cast a look over the valley. It really was beautiful, Echo never took the time to think about the beauty of the Earth when she had worked for Nia; everything had a purpose, a way to further her cause, not much else mattered.

 

But this was her home, her daughter’s home; and It was beautiful.

 

She thinks suddenly that she should’ve brought a blanket to sit on, she had never really been bothered before but the last thing she needed was to get sick. She sighs and considers going back, before she spots a figure approaching, with a bag slung over his shoulder.

 

“Hey.” Bellamy says when he is finally close enough. “Going for a walk?”

 

Echo blushes feeling slightly caught out and guilty.

 

“Sorry, I just wanted to show her the valley.”

 

Bellamy nods, before pulling a blanket from his bag and setting it down.

 

“Sounds good.” He replies grinning.

 

He helps Echo sit without disturbing Charissa and reaches out to hold Echo’s hand.

 

“How was the meeting?” She asks.

 

“It was okay, got us some more blankets.” He nods down to where they are sitting. “I came back and you were gone.”

 

“How did you know I’d be here?”

 

“I didn’t.” He replies simply, smiling as Charissa stirs a little. Echo throws him a confused look and he laughs. “Harper told me.”

 

“How did she know?” Echo was running on far too little sleep to decode all this.

 

“Harper said you told her there was an Azgeda birthing ritual that involves snow.” He says, picking up a handful as he speaks. “And I know this is your favourite spot in the valley, that isn’t the farm.”

 

Echo looks down, a little embarrassed.

 

“I wasn’t going to do it.” She mumbles. “Not without asking.”

 

Bellamy wraps his arm around her and squeezes gently.

 

“Its okay Echo.”

 

“No, its not.” She closes her eyes. “I know Azgeda is….” She trails off, they both know how that sentence ends. “But my parents, they did it for me.”

 

Bellamy nods.

 

“I mean I don’t remember.” She continues. “But I know they did.”

 

One of her few childhood memories had been stumbling across a snow ceremony, her father had explained what it was, why it was different to other clans, and how hers went. The memory made her happy, connected to her parents. It was a memory Nia couldn’t touch.

 

Bellamy picks up some more snow and turns to her.

 

“What do I do?” he whispers.

 

She shakes her head.

 

“Its fine.”

 

“This isn’t about Azgeda, its about your parents.” He presses. “Tell me what to do.”

 

She gently guides Bellamy’s hand to their daughter’s forehead, a drop of snow placed on it, before she does the same. Finally, she places a tiny spot of the cold snow onto their daughter’s hand and raises it to her own forehead.

 

“Skai en graun dei de huk op, huk op gon Yu Charissa.” She mumbles, and smiles when Bellamy attempts to repeat her words.

 

They sit in silence for a moment.

 

“The sky and ground that give, give to you?” he asks, clearly having translated the message.

 

“It’s a blessing.” Echo shrugs. “Trikru’s is all about the ground giving, but the snow gave us protection.”

 

“The sky.” Bellamy nods in understanding.

 

“Thank you.” She whispers.

 

Bellamy simply smiles and pulls them both closer, his finger stroking Charissa’s cheek.

 

Echo leans her head against his chest and grins, her eyes survey the valley, from this spot, she can see the smoke bubbling out of their chimneys. A warm feeling overtakes her chest at the idea of returning home, to their family, to the warmth and safety.

 

She had a home.

 

She had a family.

 

She lets out a laugh at the absurdity of it all.

 

“What’s funny?” Bellamy asks softly.

 

She looks up at him, the man she loves, the father of her child, the man who helped her get here, and can’t stop smiling.

 

“Nothing.” She replies. “But, its cold, we should go home.”

 

“Now, that’s an idea I can get behind.” Bellamy says, helping her stand, as she passes him Charissa, utter joy written on his face. “Murphy is making stew.”

 

“That sounds perfect.” She grabs Bellamy’s free hand, after picking up their blanket, and squeezes it as they walk.

 

Echo realised for the first time in her life, she wouldn’t change a thing.

 


End file.
